Recognizing Reality: Surviving a Buddhist Cult with Rachel Montgomery
IndoctriNation
IndoctriNation
4.8 • 566 Ratings
🗓️ 19 November 2025
⏱️ 80 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, Rachel Bernstein interviews Rachel Montgomery, who recounts her harrowing journey as a survivor of a cult and sexual abuse within a Buddhist community. She describes how she was drawn into the group, the manipulative practices of the leader, and the emotional and psychological challenges she faced. She details the abuse she suffered under the guise of spiritual teachings, the devastating personal consequences, and the difficult path to recognizing the trauma for what it was. She outlines the process of seeking legal accountability, the resolution of her case, and how she has managed to reclaim her life. Her story is one of resilience, shedding light on the dark realities of cult manipulation and the arduous journey towards justice and healing.
Heartwood organization: https://www.heartwoodcenter.com/meditation/survivors-program/
McAllister Olivarius: https://mcolaw.com/
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Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation:
Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to indoctrination, a weekly conversation series about protecting yourself from systems of control. |
| 0:11.1 | I'm your host, Rachel Bernstein. |
| 0:13.6 | You are not alone. |
| 0:16.6 | And now there are two resources that I've put together specifically for your journey. |
| 0:29.5 | This is your host, Rachel Bernstein. |
| 0:32.5 | I am an educator and a therapist and a cult specialist, |
| 0:37.4 | and I am very excited to announce |
| 0:41.3 | restart and restore a journal for survivors of manipulation |
| 0:47.3 | and a companion notebook that I've put together to go with it |
| 0:53.3 | that has people's stories that they've shared |
| 0:56.8 | with me, that they wanted to share with you, and some wonderful quotes from people whose thoughts |
| 1:04.0 | I truly admire, and more pages and writing prompts for you to continue with the writing that can help you along |
| 1:14.5 | your healing journey. |
| 1:16.9 | This isn't just another blank journal. |
| 1:20.6 | It's a trauma-informed recovery companion, and it offers psychoeducation on the mechanics of manipulation and control and therapeutic |
| 1:30.9 | writing prompts to explore your history and your strengths, practical exercises that transform |
| 1:38.7 | insights into some actionable steps, and the freedom to heal at your own pace. |
| 1:45.0 | You can do it in the time frame that works for you without any judgment or pressure. |
| 1:53.3 | Whether you joined the organization or the relationship that was controlling as a teen or as an adult, |
| 2:00.2 | restart and restore provides the structure |
| 2:03.0 | and I think validation needed to process your experiences safely. |
| 2:09.0 | I'm also excited to share beyond the journal and its companion notebook that I'm currently |
... |
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